This YouTube video shows of the improvements to DARPA’s Legged Support System (LS3) or robot horse as it is often called.

The LS3 now has the ability to navigate in the dark using IEEE Spectrum and GPS waypoints. It now also obeys around 10 different voice commands like “Sit”, “Stay”, “Follow” and “Power On” – which I suppose make it seem more like a dog than a horse but anyways.

They’ve also managed to reduce the sound that’s emitted by the LS3’s motor, previously the noise it created was rather deafening, meaning that it wouldn’t exactly be discreet inside enemy terrain. Now though it is a much more reasonable 70 decibels – which is around the same as a large vacuum cleaner or a small modern car!

The video shows just how nimble the LS3 is, trotting along after its commander like an obedient servant, navigating all sorts of tough terrain and even performing a barrel roll (don’t you want to just throw it a doggy treat after that)! I think it is kinda cute although I doubt I’d say that if it was pelting towards me at full speed in a dark jungle!

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